


Q₁₀

by thefriendyouleftinthehallway



Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: Gen, Light Angst, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-11-26 15:41:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20932646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thefriendyouleftinthehallway/pseuds/thefriendyouleftinthehallway
Summary: Yet another probably OOC, VERY short oneshot. Bond makes inquiries regarding Q’s scrabble mug. It doesn’t turn out the way he expects.





	Q₁₀

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like I gotta apologise every time I post a fic in this fandom to the people who actually have extensive knowledge about it because I feel very very under-qualified and the only way I managed to do this was by reading a bunch of fic in the fandom just to see how other people write and characterise.

It can be supposed that 00 agents have a tendency to become antsy when they’ve nothing to do. Perhaps that was why 007 was walking into Q-Branch unprompted and heading for the Quartermaster’s office. 

“007,” Q began, exasperated, as he straightened a stack of stapled paperwork in manilla folders. “What are you doing here?” He took a sip of tea from the infamous scrabble mug as his eyes finally met the agent’s. 

“What do you know, Q himself, dealing with something that’s not on a screen. Incredible,” Bond said. 

“It may surprise you to know this, 007, but physical paperwork is actually more secure than its digital equivalent. I’d say the concept isn’t that hard to comprehend, given the Silva incident,” Q said. “But that’s not what you’re doing here. Get to the point, Bond. I haven’t got all the time in the world for ridiculous chit-chat.” 

“The mug,” Bond said, just as Q placed it down on the desk. “A little cold, isn’t it?”

“What?” Q asked. “The tea is perfectly warm.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Bond said. “You were R before the explosion, weren’t you?” He asked. 

“Yes. I don’t really see where this is going,” Q answered, irritated.

“Did you know him well? The previous Quartermaster,” Bond asked blandly. 

Q didn’t grace that with an answer. 

“Only,” Bond began, stepping forward and grabbing the mug, moving back before Q’s reaching hands could snatch it back and holding it up as if to examine it. “If my friend died in an explosion, and that made me boss, I wouldn’t go and get a t-shirt that said ‘boss’, would you? Seems a little insensitive to me.”

“What,” Q spat, looking down, “is your bloody point?”

“Why the mug?” Bond asked outright. 

Q didn’t answer him at first. Bond continued. 

“It just seems… a bit cold. To have this mug. So, unless by some coincidence your _ real _name starts with Q, or it was a gift from someone not too bright… why would you have this?” Bond gestured to the mug in his hand before putting it back down on Q’s desk. The Quartermaster immediately picked it up and held it, almost like he was cradling the thing. 

“It was a gift,” Q said. 

Bond’s features morphed into mild amusement. “From _ who _?” He asked. 

Q paused. He looked at Bond, then the mug, then Bond again. “From me,” he said. 

Bond threw him a look of confusion, and Q sighed. 

“I was going to give it to the previous Q,” Q said quietly, looking down. “I kept putting it off, and then the explosion happened, and the mug just seemed… too significant, then. So I supposed if I used it regularly then the importance would wear away, and I’d be able to get rid of it.” Q suddenly seemed to snap from mournful recollection back to professionalism in an instant. “And I needed a teacup anyway,” he stated, and breathed in deeply as if to refresh himself, standing and walking towards the door. 

“Tea’s cold,” Q said wearily. “I’m just going to pop down and get a fresh cup.” And then he was gone.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't really know the difference between collective headcanons/fanon and canon so this is probably laced with fanon.


End file.
